International Wellbeing Wednesday 2018

International Wellbeing Wednesday 2018

Today is #InternationalWellbeingWednesday and this years theme surrounds getting a good night’s sleep.

How to fall asleep faster!

Sleep is a vital part of obtaining good wellbeing. We spend a third of our lives asleep. Despite what many of us believe, it is impossible to be in good health and not have enough quality sleep. Lack of sleep has been said to impact our health as much as, if not equally to; not eating, not drinking nor breathing. It has even been said that we can survive longer without food, than we could without sleep (Everson et al. 1989). This is because; the physical effects of stress on the human body are well documented: sleeping allows our bodies to repair and enables our brains to consolidate and process information. When your mind is not functioning optimally or is plagued by negative thoughts and emotions, eventually your body will suffer the consequences. Common problems that arise due to poor sleep include weakened immune systems and increased mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

Click here to continue reading this blog post!

Click below to take our Individual Stress Test for some extra tips on improving your sleep!

Your sleeping environment will ultimately be the most important factor in ensuring that you get a good night’s sleep. It could make or break your sleep routine, either helping you to transition into a seamless sleep within minutes or keeping you up, tossing and turning for hours on end.

4 important things that you need to consider for the Perfect Sleep Environment:

Noise – sleeping is generally best done in a quiet place. When we are asleep, we still react to external stimuli. So if we are in a noisy place, often we will be registering each and every noise even when we are not conscious, we will be falling out of the deeper stages of sleep. Our tip for this would be to use earplugs. Some people also say listening to white noise, such as a fan or the tv on low in the background can encourage our bodies to not react to other noises.

Temperature – the recommended temperature for the perfect bedroom is around 19 degrees Celsius. Open your window slightly to allow your bedroom to cool down, encouraging a good night’s sleep.

Lighting – most people get the best nights in the darkness. However understandably, some like nightlights for safety reasons. Our body’s natural circadian rhythm often needs to follow the natural dark-light cycle. Llight from technology often emits blue rays which can trick our brains into thinking its daytime. Blue violet light is also potentially hazardous and toxic to the back of your eyes”as it puts you at a higher risk of getting ‘Macular Degeneration’ later on in life, which often leads to sight loss.

Choice of mattress – if your bed offers the correct support, comfort and you have enough space, you are more likely to move around less, wake less and so, you are less likely to wake up feeling tired or aching.